Looters, Arsonists and Attackers are not Protesters but Criminals

“Plagues and judgments are already falling upon the despisers of the grace of God. The calamities by land and sea, the unsettled state of society, the alarms of war, are portentous. They forecast approaching events of the greatest magnitude. The agencies of evil are combining their forces and consolidating. They are strengthening for the last great crisis. Great changes are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones” (Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 11).

These are not protesters. These are opportunists. This is shameful. pic.twitter.com/UWVt3Pn6B5

— Christina Pascucci (@Pascucci2024) May 31, 2020

A legitimate protest is protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Citizens have the “right to petition government for redress of grievances.” This means that we can even complain about our government without fear of intimidation or retaliation. Unfortunately, legitimate protests over the death of George Floyd have been hijacked.

The anarchy, civil disorder and riots that have spread everywhere, from coast to coast, have nothing to do with the death of George Floyd. What we see on the streets of the United States today are three groups: legitimate protesters, domestic terrorists (Antifa) and street criminals.

For the past seven nights in a row, thousands across the United States have been on the streets – NOT holding hands, singing, participating in prayer vigils or lighting candles. No. Thousands have been on the streets burning cars, breaking windows, burning houses and businesses, looting stores and causing chaos. These are not protesters. They are gangs of rioters that attack people and businesses and destroy property.

Dozens of suspected looters spilled out from a Boost Mobile store in Van Nuys today, many getting away with apparently stolen goods in hand. Nearby, police declared an unlawful assembly and began dispersing a large crowd of protesters https://t.co/wvk4tBncba pic.twitter.com/OkxaBwFpqb

— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) June 1, 2020

“In this time of prevailing iniquity we may know that the last great crisis is at hand. When the defiance of God’s law is almost universal, when His people are oppressed and afflicted by their fellow men, the Lord will interpose” (Christ Object Lessons, p. 178).

Let me remind you of my position on the subject of George Floyd. When George was handcuffed and lying on his stomach, he was in a position where he couldn’t fight back or defend himself. George was at the mercy of a homicidal police officer. The policeman had a knee to his neck and was restricting George’s breathing. You can hear the poor man gasping for breath and begging the police officer to stop strangling him to death.

Then George Floyd began to cry for his mother because he was dying. George was not resisting or fighting and he was deprived of his right to breathe. I personally don’t know why this police officer is not being charged with first degree murder. But that’s where I stand on this issue. Most Americans and most people around the world believe that this should never have happened.

"The people in Polk County like guns. They're gonna be in their homes tonight with their guns loaded. And if you try to break into their homes to steal, to set fires, I'm highly recommending they blow you back out of the house with their guns." pic.twitter.com/YxAUt3z5lc

— Jessica O’Donnell 🏈 (@heckyessica) June 1, 2020

But now, we are seeing violent and radical street criminals trying to destroy our society. Our country is on fire and our police are vastly outnumbered. What we are seeing today has nothing to do with justice. Innocent people are being targeted. We are seeing the result of a deeply sown division and hatred that has been building for a long time from all sides. There is a lawless movement at play that is exploiting the death of George Floyd and who want to tear down what took 250 years to build. They are well-funded and well-organized and are determined to overthrow all of our constitutional rights.

When you riot, you ruin the lives of innocent people. pic.twitter.com/hMi2RRNlsS

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) May 31, 2020

Many of the looted stores will not return. Jobs have been lost forever as businesses were destroyed. What took years to accumulate was lost in a few nights of rioting. This is hurting minorities as they have nowhere to turn. This poor lady cries because all the food stores are gone and there is no more public transport to get around.

We need to pray for our country, but what are we supposed to pray for? Unity? Peace? We are supposed to be one nation and one people uniting on core, common principles. But how do we unite when we have people in the nation who have no problem setting fires, stealing other people’s things and attacking the innocent? Others defend these methods, support and justify them. So what kind of unity can we have with people who think like this? What are we unifying around?

Smoke from multiple fires rising up in front of the Washington Monument #Chopper4 looking south from Maryland, White House center screen. #BreakingNews @nbcwashington #protests2020 #GeorgeFloydProtests pic.twitter.com/WNtPkgYCtD

— ʙʀᴀᴅ ꜰʀᴇɪᴛᴀꜱ (@Chopper4Brad) June 1, 2020

In order to have a country there has to be some kind of commonality. There must be a shared fundamental value that is free from homicidal cops, racism, domestic terrorists and street criminals. We used to believe that God had a divine plan for all of us. Americans used to be a people who found faith and purpose in their Maker. God’s word reminds us that:

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12.

The nation that honors Jehovah is under His protection and becomes a happy and desirable nation. God created humanity. And when humanity honors God, He blesses them. Unfortunately, today God has blessed us, but we have rejected Him and His word and He will respond by removing His blessings:

“The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you … And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.” 2 Chronicles 15:2, 5, 6.

“The tempest is coming, and we must get ready for its fury by having repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord will arise to shake terribly the earth. We shall see troubles on all sides. Thousands of ships will be hurled into the depths of the sea. Navies will go down, and human lives will be sacrificed by millions. Fires will break out unexpectedly, and no human effort will be able to quench them. The palaces of earth will be swept away in the fury of the flames. Disasters by rail will become more and more frequent; confusion, collision, and death without a moment’s warning will occur on the great lines of travel. The end is near, probation is closing. Oh, let us seek God while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near! The prophet says: Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought His judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger” (Messages to Young People, pp. 89, 90).